Does Anyone Have Their Own 'house' Yeast Strain?

[DR.RELAX]

Wow wasn't expecting such a response! Really great stuff here my brain isn't ready for! I went and saw a mate who only uses kits and the dried yeast they come with and he's been recycling the yeast cake for the last few months and it has dramatically improved his beer! Still not the greatest but it's definatly improved. A mutation for the better! Can't wait to do it with a bit of coopers yeast in the bottom of a pale ale!

 

[Scruffy]

Just finished my 7th cider (in 2 x one gallon demijohns), all using the same 1056. It's nothing like 1056 now... well, in truth it's down the sink - it went a bit phenolic - starting the new batch(es) with 4184.

So if I've done 7 brews and only used one pack of 1056, i guess I've saved about $60...

 

[Wolfy]

... I went and saw a mate who only uses kits and the dried yeast they come with and he's been recycling the yeast cake for the last few months and it has dramatically improved his beer! Still not the greatest but it's definatly improved. A mutation for the better!...

Time and temperature will greatly reduce the viability of yeast, and I'm certain kit-yeasts have not been stored in anywhere near optimal conditions.
In addition the kit-yeast sachets are 5g or 7g - so you're already underpitching if even if you did have optimal viability.
As a consequence, my response to the observation that subsequent brews have "definatly improved" - even assuming that it is actually only the yeast responsible - is that now a more optimal amount of live yeast is being pitched, resulting in a cleaner, healthy ferment rather than any yeast "mutation for the better" being the cause of the improvement.

In addition, while it may be possible to successfully mutate a yeast strain as at home on such a small scale, with barely adequate sanitation it - IMHO - poses is a much greater risk of infection, unwanted bacterial growth, wild yeast infestation and a host of other adverse consequences compared to any possible positive outcome.

 

[Murcluf]

Have found this topic of interest for quite a while but haven't venture down this road yet. From the few things I have read regarding yeasts that have been outside the norm so to say was 2 things.

Historically Belgian Trappist Monestries are know for reusing their yeasts numerous times (up to 50- 60 times) with out issue, compared to the common line of never use more then 5 generation.

At one stage it promoted and perhaps still is, to blend yeast strains in an attempt to produce a house yeast for example blending say 1056 with a English Ale yeast.

Mind you I have tried any of the above yet I'm still trying different strains to see what characteristic and flavours I likeand when I find ones I really like see how the go after multiple generations mind you furtherest I gone is 3 generations.